A new 90 minute fare across Dublin transport services will see people do two stages in one journey.
That's according to the National Transport Authority (NTA), which has announced the introduction of the flat fare from November 28th.
It will allow passengers to transfer between Dublin Bus, Luas and most DART, commuter rail and Go-Ahead Ireland services in the capital within 90 minutes of an initial touch-on.
The fare will be €2.30 for adults and students when using their Leap Card which until March 31st 2022. Following this "promotional period", the NTA says the fare will go up to €2.50.
While a new flat child Leap fare will cost 80 cent.
And a new short adult Leap fare of €1.60 for single trips, up to 3km, will come into place. This is an increase of 5c on the former 1-3 stage fare.
Any journeys beyond 3km - or involving transfers between services that take place within 90 minutes of the start - will be charged at the 90 minute fare.
The NTA's director of public transport services, Tim Gaston, told Newstalk Breakfast this is part of a wider plan.
"It's part of the BusConnects delivery, and it allows people to do two stages for one journey - for one fare - essentially.
"When you start your first journey, you can carry on and do your second journey provided it's within 90 minutes of when you started the first.
"In addition to that, we're also taking the opportunity to bring in an 80c child fare across all of the day and all of the week.
"At the minute, that 80c fare is only available during school hours - we're opening that up to all children right across the day and across the week.
"This is only on LeapCard, but most people are using LeapCard to travel".
He says this is to prepare people for BusConnects, which will see more changeovers.
"In BusConnects people will need to do more interchange; there's a better network of services, but to achieve the best outcome from that... you may have to do two stages of a journey and pay the single fare".
'Making public transport more attractive'
Asked why it took until now to implement, Mr Gaston says: "This fare - it costs money, we needed Government support to do it, needed the funding.
"So this is the new arrangement we're bringing in, particularly to encourage people to do two or three legs of a journey, making public transport more attractive.
"And obviously, as everything we're doing now, to try to make people more likely to use public transport and less likely to use their cars".
Transport Minister Eamon Ryan says: "It is essential that we provide the incentives that make public transport a viable and attractive choice for employees, students, shoppers and visitors.
"The introduction of the TFI 90 minute fare is central to achieving this objective and encouraging more people to get back on-board.
"In moving more people from their car to public transport we can help to achieve Ireland's carbon reduction targets as set out in the Programme for Government.
"This is another great step in making the city a more liveable and easily accessible environment."
